παρατυγχάνω (paratugchanō)
paratugchanō
be there
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb paratugchanō describes a casual or accidental encounter, meaning to happen to be present or to meet by chance. It combines the prefix para, indicating proximity or being near, with tugchanō, which relates to finding or meeting. This word does not imply a planned appointment but rather an unplanned convergence of people in a specific location.
In the New Testament, this term appears only once, in Acts 17:17. Here, Paul is described as reasoning in the marketplace, and it was there that he happened to meet certain philosophers. The sources note that this usage highlights the spontaneous nature of his interaction with Epicurean and Stoic thinkers in Athens. It underscores how divine opportunities often arise through unexpected, everyday circumstances rather than formal arrangements.
The rarity of this word in Scripture makes its single occurrence significant. It captures a moment where the apostle’s mission intersected with local culture without prior arrangement. Translators typically render it as "met" or "encountered," emphasizing the serendipitous quality of the meeting. This usage reminds readers that meaningful dialogue can occur in public spaces through simple, unplanned presence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word παρατυγχάνω describes a chance meeting, an unplanned convergence of people in a specific place. In Acts 17:17, Paul is described as reasoning in the marketplace, where he happened to meet certain philosophers. This term highlights the spontaneous nature of his interaction with Epicurean and Stoic thinkers in Athens.
This rare verb reminds us that divine opportunities often arise through unexpected, everyday circumstances rather than formal arrangements. It captures a moment where the apostle’s mission intersected with local culture without prior arrangement. Translators typically render it as 'met' or 'encountered,' emphasizing the serendipitous quality of the meeting.
Meaningful dialogue can occur in public spaces through simple, unplanned presence. This usage invites readers to see their daily encounters not as interruptions, but as potential moments for connection and witness. The randomness of the meeting underscores how God uses ordinary settings for extraordinary purposes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- meeting [him];1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παρατυγχάνοντας·1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 17:17
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.
This single occurrence highlights the spontaneous nature of Paul's interaction with Epicurean and Stoic thinkers in Athens, showing how divine opportunities arise through unexpected circumstances.